Chapter 21

My hand won't stop bleeding.

I stagger aimlessly, feeling light headed from blood loss. My overshirt is too thin to stop a blood flow this heavy and I lost my fleece with the rest of my supplies. Distantly, I think I can hear the rushing water of the stream but I can't concentrate on anything.

I trip and fall forward, barely catching the knife before I injure myself farther. I just sit there pathetically on the ground with no clue what to do now.

Something catches my eye and I tilt my head up to see better. I cry out in joy as a small parachute floats down in front of me. I impatiently wait for it to get closer before snatching it out of the air. I unwrap it quickly.

It's a first aid kit! It is filled with better supplies than the small one our group had shared. There are antibacterial wipes, bandages, a small, miniature chilled cooler and two jars, one of a clear ointment and the other a pink paste. I take my fingers out of my pocket and slide them into the little cooler and put it in my new pack.

My broken wrist is swollen, as are some of the fingers on the same hand. I pry the blood-covered leather gloves off my hands, wincing in pain. Despite the missing fingers on the left hand, using it hurts less than the right hand with the broken wrist so I use it more than the other, though I try to use both.

I clean my bloody hands with the wipes, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my wrist. I put the clear gel on what remains of my two fingers and I feel my hand going numb as a tingling sensation spreads across the area. I rub the pink paste on next before wrapping my hand tightly with bandages. I rub some of the clear medicine on my wrist and then on my sore shoulder. I smooth the paste across a few of the cuts I can feel on my face.

With the blood flow stopped and the pain lessened, I am able to focus better. Now I can definitely hear the running water of the stream nearby. But I am still too exhausted to walk. It is getting late too so I might as well just stay put. I crawl over to a tree close by, slumping against the trunk tiredly.

With Gusto so recently killed, I assume the Gamemakers will be satisfied for a while and probably won't send, I don't know, giant moths or something to attack me. I doubt Foster would sneak up on me given his reaction to Heather's betrayal, so Heather is the only person I have to worry about now. But I don't know what happened to the fire Gusto and I set. If it spread far enough, it might have distracted or slowed Heather down. But I shrug it off and try to find a comfortable spot on the rugged ground for me to sit on.

I open up Gusto's pack and start rifling through it to check what supplies I have inherited. There are quite a few things inside it. I am most interested in an ice axe to help rock climb and a blanket with a camouflage design. I curl up into a ball under the blanket and, exhausted, fall asleep.

The next morning the weather is muggy. I need water so I venture to find the stream. When I reach the riverbank, I look at my reflection in the water. I look so much worse than I could have ever imagined. My entire body is covered in dried blood. The worst is the left side of my head, which is coated by the blood that spilled from the knife slice on my cheek. My jaw is covered by bruises so large that it almost looks completely purple.

I need to wash all of this off of me. I strip down to my tank top and underwear. I let my hair down, placing the ribbon next to my clothes. I slowly lower my bruised and fatigued body into the water.

Sleeping on the rocky floor has made my injuries feel worse. Using the water as a mirror, I take my medical kit and begin cleaning up the larger wounds. My shoulder has been spasming more often but numbing it keeps the bursts of pain at bay. My stomach is cramping now and I can't remember the last time I ate. I don't think I could stomach anything anyway.

I glance up the stream and see the glint of the Cornucopia in the sun. Looking at the mountaintop, I find myself humming.

Once I stood at the hill of the great high mountain
That I wanted so much to climb
And on top of this mountain was a beautiful fountain
That flows with the water of life

How long ago was that night? It feels like months have passed since that day. I can hardly believe that that girl singing and dancing and laughing that night was me. I can't imagine having the energy to do something like that now. Not to mention, I could never bring myself to do something like that without Rory here with me.

I feel like I might start crying again but I still do not want anyone watching to see me doing it. I lie back and close my eyes as I float in the water. I think the action covers up the tears but I can hear my breathing get shaky so I start singing again to steady my voice.

I fell down on my knees at the foot of this mountain
I cried, "O Lord what must I do?
I want to climb this mountain, I want to drink from this fountain
That flows so clear in my view

I sing the rest of the song to myself quietly, mumbling the words together. I keep singing until I am interrupted by the loud, echoing boom of the cannon.

So that's it then. Down to the final two.

I look up at the sky and sigh. I'd rather not wait hours to find out who the other tribute is so I take this as my cue to get moving again. I slip my pants on and I am only able to fit one glove back on. My arms are too damaged to put my overshirt back on. I can't put my hair up either so I leave it down, tucking my ribbon in my pocket.

I decide to head towards the Cornucopia, meaning I will have to hike back up the mountain. The trek back is long but I barely notice the time. "Great High Mountain" is stuck in my head now and I keep playing the song on loop.

Then I heard a sweet voice from the top of this mountain
Saying, "Child put your hand in mine"
I started climbing slowly, "Watch your steps at the edges
And take one step at a time"
I started climbing upward taking one step at a time
The higher I got the harder I climbed

Eventually, the trees dwindle away to nothing. It is almost dusk when I reach the drop-off by the Cornucopia. The climb up the drop-off is painful for my arms. Fortunately, Gusto's ice axe is a great help to keep me going. When I reach the top, I toss the knife over the edge. I kick my leg over and scoot myself up.

I push my hair back absentmindedly, the strands long dry since my swim earlier today. I stand up and take in the plateau. I wander past the pedestals we used to enter the arena.

I gaze at the Cornucopia, examining it in a way I didn't have a chance to when the Games began. There's still a few supplies littered around inside it. I assume most people were like me and never came back here.

I stoop and pick up a pack in front of me. It is a pack of dried banana chips. I still don't have any appetite but I have not eaten anything in so long. I plop down in front of the Cornucopia with my knife in my lap, nibbling on the chips while I wait. My jaw aches as I chew and my stomach feels as if it is going to reject the food at any moment. So much for a last meal.

I'm still climbing upward and my journey's almost ended
I'm nearing the top and you ought to see the view
Oh the water flows freely, there's enough to make you free
So friend if you're thirsty climb this mountain with me

I keep remembering that night I sang this with Rory. I also remember talking about the song with the others around the campfire. I had told Sprig:

"It's about having to go through difficult trials to earn your reward. Then helping others along."

I don't know what to think of that now. Helping others along made everything worse for me here. Now I am so close to the end but I could die and all of these hardships would be for nothing.

No. No, I can't think like that. I have to do this. I may have failed to get Rory home but I am not going to fail again. I can't.

I take a large swig of water to force down a particularly difficult chip. I have just finished swallowing when I hear the scratch of heavy footsteps climbing up the rocky side behind the Cornucopia.

I can only hope it is Heather. She's not much bigger than me so we could possibly have an equal match. My arms and hands are still sore beyond belief but she is probably exhausted if she just finished fighting Foster today. I just pray that Foster is not the one left. Even if I wasn't so badly injured, I could never take on Foster in a fight. The only thing worse than the thought of Foster killing me is the thought of having to kill him.

I stand and exhale. This is it. The final step between going home or staying in this arena forever. I hear a thump as the tribute crosses onto the plateau. I ready my knife, as the footsteps get closer. I step out and walk around the side of the Cornucopia.

I have barely enough time to hope that it is Heather when I come face to face with Foster.